


Hey, Builder!

by Lillibell (mrshomestuck)



Category: Dragon Quest Builders (Video Games)
Genre: Alcohol, Awkwardness, Builder Speaking (Rarely), Consensual, Cottontail Outfit Shenanigans, F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, From Sex to Love, I'm Bad At Tagging, Light Angst, Minor Character(s), Minor Rape Mention (but none of that ACTUALLY in the story), Some Inaccuracy, Spoilers, Third Wheel, Walking In On Someone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-09-08 03:09:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20291176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrshomestuck/pseuds/Lillibell
Summary: The builder is doing something without much thought, like usual. Malroth just happens to be the first (and only) person who sees it when he barges into her room without warning.The change following their first night begins stirring trouble with their mutual friend.





	1. Cottontail

**Author's Note:**

> The relationship dynamics are shamelessly based on my own relationship. Laughing during sex is TOO GOOD to not include.

"Hey, Builder!"

Malroth is never shy to call out to her when he has anything to say, no matter how mundane or silly. But the builder is pretty similar in her actions. She doesn't say much, unlike Malroth. Yet her boldness in behavior is even beyond that of Malroth (if deadliness is not taken into account). Tonight was another of her bold experiments.

"...What are you wearing...?" Malroth asks, a puzzled look on his face while he scans her outfit.

The builder does as she usually does, putting her hands on her hips confidently and laughing cheekily. When she came up with her own design for the cottontail outfit, she was waiting for the perfect time to try it out for herself. Now that the world is her oyster, she has decided it is time. It's been an idea on the back burner for quite a while, all the way back in Khrumbul-Dun. With the hectic nature of dealing with the Children of Hargon, she never really had time to try it out. But things are peaceful now, with no more world-changing worries. So of course it is time to debut her own cottontail outfit!

Malroth continues to make his usual puzzled face when dealing with human affairs. But he seems a bit more reserved about where his eyes scan compared to usual. He didn't have a problem looking over Babs in Khrumbul-Dun, considering he didn't feel anything in response to that. But Malroth seems pretty adamant about keeping his eyes up in this situation.

"Hmm?" The builder hums, looking at Malroth a bit closer in an attempt to understand. She wonders if maybe she doesn't pull it off as well as Babs? Well, that much should be expected considering the difference in body type, but it still puts a frown on the builder's face. She thought she looked cute, but maybe she was wrong. She didn't expect praise from Malroth to be fair, but his reaction is a lot more quiet than expected.

Malroth averts his eyes as he speaks. "What the heck are you doing? You look... Weird."

The builder feels a bit sad at this. His words are about what she expected, but the difference in tone almost breaks her heart. She thought he would have a good laugh with her about it, but here they are in an awkward, cold scenario. The builder is never good at hiding her emotions with her face, and Malroth seems a bit flustered when he realizes how sad she looks.

"I-I mean...! You look... Fine! But... Why are you wearing something like that...?" His cheeks turn a slight shade of red as he struggles to explain himself.

The builder thinks for a bit before putting on a smile and starting to shake her hips as if she's dancing. Hopefully that will explain her intentions. She just wants to have a fun night reliving that night at the Silver Bar! Well, without the whole "turning to stone" bit. Babs has been hard at work on the Isle of Awakening, and the builder wanted to try too!

Yet Malroth's expression is even more bizarre after the little demonstration. His cheeks are red, something the builder has never seen before! Not in this way, at least. She's seen him turn red when really fired up about something like a big battle, but this is definitely different. She sighs, starting to reach up and take off the long ears.

Her hands are stopped short, Malroth gripping them tightly with more seriousness than expected. "You don't have to... Take it off... I just thought it looked... Weird... On you." He huffs, obviously frustrated about something here. The builder doesn't understand. Is it because she usually dresses more conservative? But that can't be it! Malroth didn't react at all to Babs, and she looked way better! The builder can't hide her serious expression as she attempts to understand.

Malroth stays like that for a bit, only to realize he hasn't let go! He begins to pull away, only to get more flustered when the builder is the one holding him now! He can't back off like this! She's too close! But her confused face shows that she has zero clue to what she's really doing.

"Okay, look." Malroth sighs, again looking away as he speaks. "You don't look weird. Well. You DO, but not... In a bad way?" He seems confused about his words as he speaks them. But his explanation seems enough to make the builder back off a bit. Good, he wasn't sure how much longer he could handle being that close to her.

The builder gestures to herself, pointing out things like stitching on different parts of the outfit, in an attempt to figure out where it looks wrong. Malroth can't help but have his eyes follow her hands, which makes him blush even more. He doesn't like feeling like this! He's never felt it before! He cares about the builder, but the feelings he's experiencing are different than usual. He feels like he needs to keep his eyes off of her, and yet he can't help but stand there staring when she points out little bits. His eyes are looking at something a bit different than what the builder intends, though. While she points out the stitches at the bottom, he can't help but look... At what's beneath that.

Malroth is never one to hold himself back. And what he's done so far in this situation is much more control than usual. He doesn't know what he's feeling, but it's getting worse the more he looks at her. Her gestures are cut short when Malroth grabs her wrists and pushes her to the nearest wall. He isn't overly forceful, but it's enough to get the builder's attention.

...Malroth regrets this move. They are even closer than they were before, and he feels weird all over. Is he sick? Can he even get sick? His eyes are intense while he searches his head for an explanation. He's seen the builder sick before, and she didn't act like this. She was weak and bedridden all day after a night of building in the rain. Malroth doesn't feel weak, and he doesn't feel like resting. His body feels like it's on fire! He could run laps around the island feeling like this! But Malroth doesn't move. He just keeps that intense expression as he looks closely at the builder.

The builder has a lightbulb moment. Not as she usually does when it comes to blueprints, but still a "eureka" moment nonetheless. She experimentally raises her knee slowly, using it to check what she's now expecting. Malroth's face twists into complete helplessness as the builder is met with something hard under his silk pants. He's speechless, which doesn't happen normally. The builder seems smug at her discovery though, giving Malroth a cheeky grin.

Neither of them have been in this type of situation despite being adults, but the builder knows the basics. As Malroth let's go of her wrists, she runs a gentle finger down his bare torso. This stupid outfit actually has some type of use, it seems. More than just showing off his muscles. It's perfect access to tease him. Malroth makes a noise unlike that she's ever heard before. It's a squeak, meek and helpless like a little mouse. His face is more red than she thought was possible at this point.

"You're pissing me off!" Malroth snarls, deciding to give into his forceful nature. Luckily for him, the soft bed the builder has made for herself is right next to the wall he pinned her to. So he doesn't have much trouble pushing her down that way. Her legs hang off the side of the bed while he traps her with his imposing body. She looks so tiny and vulnerable underneath him like that, but her face is far from that of someone becoming prey. Her grin has turned to a whole smug smile, and that makes Malroth feel even more fire in his body.

Finally he can enjoy surprising the builder when he begins a deep kiss. She's shocked, but definitely reciprocates. In fact, she's even more intense than Malroth is, despite being the one pinned down. Her legs wrap around Malroth, no care in the world at the sound of one of her heels dropping onto the floor.

Neither realizes they were capable of such feelings, but it isn't stopping. Any will to get away is squashed by the intense desire to stay. The builder feels Malroth sink into the deep kiss, her smugness quickly turning into desire. She's never really felt this way before either. She thinks Malroth is attractive for sure, but it was more in appreciation until now. It feels like a fire has been lit in her belly, and she doesn't intend to stop this unless Malroth does.

It doesn't stop, no matter how much Malroth is doing flips in his head at this situation. He keeps telling himself he needs to pull away and leave, but the appeal of staying is just too great. He can't move away. He would be crazy to do so. So he doesn't move away, he gets even closer. A muffled hum of approval comes from the builder. That makes him feel even more on fire. Even when he was overflowing with the powers of a god, he didn't feel this way. That was a feeling of hatred and malice. This is one much more passionate, and far from evil. Did he need this all along?

The builder uses her knee to rub at his clothed crotch, humming happily as she does so. She never thought to be one interested in this type of behavior. But her enjoyment at this point is undeniable. It's intoxicating. She wonders how she went so long without ever feeling this deep desire. Especially when the man she's made her closest friend is so sexy. Her stomach flutters in response to an animalistic growl from him.

They finally pull away from the deep kiss, both breathing heavily from all of the excitement in the room. Malroth frowns a bit as he looks at her red cheeks. "You're so weird, you know that?" He says before letting go of her wrists and putting his hands on her, one tilting her head back and the other gently settling in the small of her back. He waits for a second before nibbling at her neck. Her sounds of pleasure are enough for him to know he's doing a good job though. He attempts to be careful with his sharp canines, but the builder squirms in such a cute way when he grazes them a bit too close. He pulls away momentarily to see faint pink lines on her neck where he did so, satisfied at the fact that she isn't being hurt. The teasing starts again after that confirmation.

Her breathy moans and the way she trembles underneath him is driving him crazy. He feels so powerful, but somehow also so helpless. He feels lost to these feelings, but his body moves despite that. She is loving it, and making her squirm like that is nearly too much for him to handle.

She uses a free hand to carefully rub through the fabric of his silk pants, humming happily as she feels something warm and hard underneath his clothing. Malroth sighs in brief relief at her touch, but he needs more. He bucks up against her hand, unrestrained from his concerns any longer. He needs this. No, he's NEEDED this. She seems to have as well.

Malroth runs his hands along her body, enjoying the curve of her hips and the size of her butt. She isn't Babs, a skinny woman with big boobs, but Malroth by far prefers a bit of meat and lean muscle, turns out. He feels the curve of her ass beneath the fishnets, unable to stop himself from laughing a bit at how sexy she is. He's never noticed until now, despite the fact that every time she's climbed he's been right there beneath her. Turns out, the shorts beneath her usual dress cover up more than previously thought.

This whole situation is just so... Intimate. It doesn't feel like they are doing something wrong or dirty, it just feels right. The builder can't help but start laughing at the situation, both because of the silliness and how she's genuinely enjoying this. Malroth hesitates, but it doesn't take long for him to start laughing too. They stay pressed up against each other as Malroth maneuvers himself in order to lie next to her. Surprisingly comfortable. The builder is glad she decided to go all out with this room and get a king-sized bed. Not the intended use, but an unexpected plus. But she wouldn't mind having to press up against him tightly to stay on a single size bed.

The two fall into a comfortable silence. Malroth glances over at her after a while, only to notice she was watching him this entire time, with a great big smile on her face. She's so cute, it's near infuriating. Malroth is frustrated that he took this long to notice it. He could have been enjoying her appearance through the whole adventure of theirs, and yet he only noticed by the time it was already done. But he can't fall into that regret when face to face with her. It's their world, and he has plenty of time to look at her. His heart does get a bit heavy thinking of the day she will eventually leave though. She intends to stay for a long time, but not forever. Why does admiration have to be so bitter sweet?

The builder takes a breath and whispers, "Hi, Malroth." Malroth feels tingles all over his body in response to that. He's sure she's said his name before in conversation, but never has it made him so... Happy. She almost never speaks, and when she does, it's very soft. It's almost shy, which is pretty unfitting to her personality. But Malroth wouldn't have it any other way. Sure, it would be nice to hear it more, but the fact that he hears it at all makes him get overly excited. He can't exactly hide that excitement, it seems. His expression causes the builder to laugh, and she gets a brief moment of cold shoulder in response. But it barely lasts. Malroth can't look away from her for long when they are like this.

"Hey, Builder." He grins as he responds, feeling his heart beat a bit too fast when her eyes light up as he speaks. He talks so much, and yet she still seems to treasure it. The fact that they can both be so different and yet so similar at once is baffling. It always has been. That's what their whole journey proved, after all. They are different, but are meant to be together. Malroth never thought about it too deeply, but he begins to realize that she's... More than a friend. Even "best friend" seems too modest in this moment. He is far from against being best friends, and yet it doesn't cover their bond to the full extent. Obviously they aren't dating, or... They might be now? Malroth makes a weird face as he begins to ponder this. Does a few kisses make you date someone? He doesn't even fully understand the human concept of "dating".

Then Malroth comes to a realization. That word that everyone was using so openly before, something that even the builder understood when he didn't. Love. Is this what it is? He doesn't even know, because he's never felt this way before. He might have to ask Lulu about it or something later. But he's sure she would tease him. Yet he doesn't want to ask the builder! She's too smart, and will see right through him! But can he really keep much from her when they are only a few inches apart?

The answer is no. He can't. The builder isn't a mind reader, but Malroth is pretty easy to read. He's been mulling over something for a while, and made a realization. She doesn't know what, but she can begin to guess given the context. He had that same lost face when he first saw love in action, and yet it stayed like that back then. This time, he may have just started to get it. The idea of that being the truth makes the builder a bit too smiley. She was already happy, but now even more so.

"...what are you grinning about?" Malroth asks, his voice a bit lower than usual given how close they are.

The builder pretends to have no idea what he's talking about, but Malroth doesn't like that answer. He sits up quickly, and moves himself over the builder again like before. He's attempting to be threatening, but all he gets is more laughter. It's infectious. He hates how she makes him laugh so easily. He decides to cut it short but kissing her again. Her laughing stops immediately. Malroth feels victorious. But when he pulls away, that smile is still on her face.

"You're rubbing your weird off on me." Malroth teases, unable to keep a straight face as he says so. The builder gives him another smug look before leaning up and kissing him herself. She doubts Malroth would let her take the upper hand, but she's still going to try. Mostly just to get him more excited. She can't imagine him being the one pinned down.

Malroth sputters, his face a bright red in a near instant. He was just getting used to her, and now she does that! He's gonna make her regret it. Malroth gets off of her, and stands at the side of the bed. The builder pouts, a face Malroth doesn't see often. He's the one grinning now. They still have a sense of rivalry through everything.

She sits up, a bit flustered from him leaving her hanging. There is an attempt to stand up, but she's caught a bit off balance due to having only one heel on now. Malroth scoops her up, surprising both of them with how smooth it was. Malroth takes his sweet time enjoying that look on her face before slowly moving her back to the bed, making sure she is lying properly instead of having her legs hang off the edge. She is caught off guard by this behavior, and is a bit lost watching Malroth be so gentle with her. She didn't even know he could be gentle.

Malroth pulls at his leather gloves and then his jacket. He has a smug expression seeing the builder look out of her element. It's satisfying. "It's a bit hot, huh?" Malroth says happily.

The builder gives a small laugh in response, but can't keep it up long when she's watching her best friend take off his clothes. She's accidentally walked in on him getting ready to hit the showers before, but it was a lot more rushed and unsexy in comparison. This is slow and teasing. It's actually making her feel her face turn red. All she feels like she can do is lie there and watch. Even if she had the will to move, why would she? She enjoys new experiences, and this definitely makes the cut.

Malroth keeps only his necklace and pants on, but he does loosen his belt. Just a bit. He can't believe how much fun he's having seeing her face. She's completely stuck where she is. He could do anything, and it would be a surprise to her still.

Using that momentum, Malroth lifts the builder up with little trouble. He stands her up to where he was just undressing before sitting on the side of the bed in front of her with a grin. The builder is still flustered, but she finally begins to center herself now that she is up.

She looks at Malroth with a bit of confusion, only to turn red when he motions for her to turn around with a big grin. She does as told, unable to keep herself from looking back as she turns. Malroth is quick to grab onto her butt, laughing a bit at how obedient she is. She's good at following orders, seems that applies outside of work as well. Malroth soaks in the experience of her soft skin combined with the gentle huff she makes in response to the contact. She's enjoying it even more than he expected her to. Again he silently curses himself for never thinking to do this type of thing earlier.

His eyes widen as she begins wiggling her hips teasingly, and she lets out a cheeky noise. She's fully aware of what she's doing now. Malroth is a bit disappointed to have lost the emotion she had before, but he can't complain about her teasing him. She's so sexy right now, he can't believe it. The builder feels pretty sexy too. She wonders if this is how Babs felt having so many men watch her with desire. But this is different, because said desire is actually being acted upon. While Babs doesn't seem much interested in this type of thing, the builder can't imagine why now that she's experiencing it herself. All he's doing is feeling her, and yet she feels on top of the world.

She hums a bit, catching Malroth off guard when she backs up into him. His hands instinctively leave her, and the builder is very happy to end up sitting on Malroth's lap. He makes a surprised noise, but is far from upset at this new development. His head is telling him to freak out about feeling himself poking up against her, but his body couldn't be happier. The builder hums with joy as she grinds her butt against his lap, glad that Malroth hasn't done this type of thing before so she can make a mistake now and then without judgement. It's sexy, but a bit awkward to do for the first time.

Malroth grabs onto her love handles, tightly squeezing her through her cottontail outfit. He begins returning the favor now that he has a grip, pulling her down onto his lap. The builder makes a satisfied noise, making Malroth want to do even more. He wants her to be crying out with joy by the end of this all. Thankfully his instincts are telling him what to do.

The builder trembles when Malroth begins whispering into her ear, calling her naughty things. She has no idea where he learned some of those words, but she is too turned on by them to ask. The builder stands up momentarily, only to quickly turn and settle back down on his lap, facing him now. The feeling of him poking her is even better from this new perspective.

Malroth feels like he's burning now that he sees her face while doing this. He can't hold himself back much longer now that he knows what type of expression she's been making this entire time. She's sweating and breathing heavily, cheeks a bright red and eyes half-lidded from the feeling of him rubbing up on her. They haven't even taken off all of the clothes yet and she's this excited.

He can't wait much longer though. He needs relief. He reaches around her body, feeling around her back for a zipper. The builder is quick to catch on, leading his hand to it. She put it on the side in order to make it easy to take off by herself, but since he's offering, she will let him do it. Malroth unzips it almost too forcefully. If they weren't so into it, she would have scolded him over the possibility of breaking the zipper. But there's no time for that now.

Malroth doesn't take any time pulling down the outfit, letting out a pleased noise when her boobs are revealed. Not as big as Babs', but plenty good enough for him. He is finding his previously non-existent taste conforming exactly to the builder, give or take. Maybe a fatter ass, but he could get that easy if he learns how to cook. It's worth the struggle, he's decided. That's for later. Now, he runs his hands down her sides, enjoying her curves.

She hums happily, using her noises to guide his hands. That doesn't last long, though. Malroth expertly lifts her up by hooking his arms under her thighs, spinning around and then forcefully moving her onto the bed. She doesn't have time to react by the time the full costume is pulled off. Malroth stops for a few seconds, speechless at what he sees. The builder feels a bit ashamed as Malroth observes her closely. "You're... Not wearing underwear. Are those fishnets uncomfortable like that...?" He grazes his hand near her crotch. She wiggles in response, obviously embarrassed.

"Whatever. Makes it much easier for me." Malroth says with a grin, moving his hands too fast for the builder to stop. He is very quick to rip open the fishnets, not caring at all about the noises of complaint he gets for ruining the outfit she worked so carefully on. Her complaints are cut short when he slowly swipes his finger along her before unashamedly spreading her open with another.

"Malrot-" The builder whines, being cut short when he experimentally rubs her clit. She cries out much louder than they both expected. He loves that noise too much to stop. The builder squirms unwillingly and lets out soft moans with each swipe of his finger.

"Hah, what was that, Builder?" He laughs as he continues to tease her sensitive body. "You wanna try saying that again?" He makes eye contact, his intense eyes giving him a huge upper hand at this point.

She feels herself getting too embarrassed to even humor that. In fact, she breaks eye contact and begins pouting, attempting to hold back any noise. Malroth simply laughs in response, setting her legs down while she takes her time to mope. Her attention is quickly caught when she hears the unmistakable sound of a belt buckle, looking near her stomach to see... Something a bit more scary than expected. She knows about this thing in theory, but had no idea it would look like that. She's so much more shy about it than she thought she would be. She figured she would be prepared for it, but she most definitely wasn't. It's not like he's outrageously big, it's just... A lot different in person. Drawings and diagrams from educational books of the past could never have prepared her for the real thing.

"Hey, Builder. What's wrong? You look so meek." He teases, holding his cock and setting it down on her lower stomach before rubbing against her very slowly. He didn't expect it to feel good rubbing against just about any bit of her body, but he's not complaining. For a working woman, she's incredibly soft. "Is it too scary for the fearless builder?"

She gets a serious look in her eyes as he says that, sitting up and doing her best to not show her embarrassment as she quickly begins stroking him. His satisfied noises are enough to make her grin. He obviously didn't expect her to just go for it like this. But he should have.

It's hot and thick against her hands. Her gold bracelets jingle a bit as she starts a rhythm, pumping his cock diligently. He seems to be the one with a frog in his throat now, she thinks to herself. Malroth knows she can get smug too, so he really shouldn't have let his guard down.

Malroth groans out, not doing much to hold back noises. He can't recall ever trying this even on his own. He just never considered it. But it feels so good to have hands there. Incredibly good when it's her. She's determined to make him feel good and swallow his pride, but he won't give up that easy. He might let her do it for a little bit longer, though.

He sets a hand down on one of her shoulders, beginning to buck into her hand. She feels more tingles travel through her body, making her feel even more strange. What is this feeling? It's desire, but she never imagined it could get this strong. She looks up at Malroth, feeling her heart skip when she sees he was looking down at her all along. They both crack small smiles when their eyes meet. Yeah, definitely still intimate.

"Lie back, Builder. I think I know how to make this even better." Malroth laughs, watching as she does as told with a big smile on her face. She spreads her legs again without even being told.

Malroth doesn't take long to begin rubbing his thick cock against her heat. She lets out pleased noises, continuing to make intimate eye contact as this happens. But he's not exactly as slick as he wishes he was, they're both inexperienced anyways. She reaches down and helps him find her entrance, an even bigger smile forming on her face. Malroth is tempted to tease her for acting so smug, but he wouldn't be able to handle it much longer. He's going to do this. Right now.

"Aaahh!" The builder moans, tilting her head back a bit as Malroth pushes inside. She's so wet that he has little trouble. And she's so warm. So so warm. Malroth feels like he could melt like this. But he wants- NEEDS more. He doesn't wait to begin experimentally thrusting slowly. The builder's noises indicate that she loves it just as much as he does.

"You're not good at hiding how much you enjoy this." Malroth hums, grunting a bit as he gets into a rhythm.

The builder opens her eyes, letting out a deep sigh as she looks at him with another smug expression. She knows he couldn't hide it even if he tried. He acts all tough, and yet he's panting even harder than she is. She isn't going to let Malroth think he's won, not until the end. Malroth gives her an almost offended glare, only to show his canines with a big smile as he turns it up a notch in response.

His hips hit against her thighs with a soft noise, and Malroth feels like he's on top of the world as he thrusts into her willing body deep and hard. The builder can't help but moan out even louder, scratching at the bed beneath her lightly. She didn't know it felt this good. She had no clue. But he's hitting her so deep and hard. Turns out she enjoys it rough. Malroth doesn't take long to make a note of this to himself.

Malroth grabs her ankles, moving her legs up as he drills into her. She's letting him do whatever he wants. That's a bit too much to add to his ego. He feels like a god, even more than when he actually was one. He didn't use his power as he wanted then. But now he's doing exactly what he wants, with absolutely no resistance. Is this what the god of destruction was revived for? He assumes no, but his body begs to differ. "You're perfect, Builder. Haah- fuck...!" He snarls loudly, his sharp teeth showing clearly as he does so.

The builder trembles and moans with each deep thrust, hesitating a bit before mumbling out, "M-Malroth...!"

Malroth feels every atom in his body shake when she moans his name. She has never said his voice that loud, let alone filled with such want. He wants to fuck her forever, but after that, he doubts he can last much longer. The way she's gripping him leads him to believe the same.

Their moans are loud and erratic, both having to close their eyes tightly from how good it feels. Both think to themselves how they feel like they are going to burst. It's too much. Their bodies can't go much longer. It feels too good. Way too good.

"Ah-!" Malroth cries out, his voice cutting off along with the builders' moans in near perfect unison. Both open their eyes just slightly enough to make eye contact before a wave of pleasure unrivaled overcomes them. Malroth pulls out at the last possible second, moaning as he listens to the builder make hot noises and watches his cum land on her ripped fishnets.

There's only the sound of heavy breathing at this point. The builder shakily lowers her legs while Malroth moves to lie by her side. It feels like an eternity of staring at the ceiling and breathing heavily, and yet neither seem to want it to end.

Eventually the two calm, the builder slowly turning her head towards Malroth with a smile on her blushing face. Malroth can't help but have a smile too when he looks back. They share eye contact for a while, but it feels like no time at all. They both start slowly laughing, only for it to turn to loud and happy laughter.

They turn their bodies towards each other now and continue to smile. The builder makes no hesitation to grab Malroth's hand. He seems caught off guard, but he accepts it. Normally when they touch hands, it's a loud and quick high five. This time, it's some quiet and slow hand holding. Malroth thinks back to when they first touched hands and how he didn't expect himself to be into being touched. Hah, the him of the past wouldn't even believe it if he somehow saw this now. He was definitely off the mark with that assumption.

Both are interrupted by a polite knocking at the door. The builder turns red and begins frantically trying to put on her normal clothes, only to be horrified when she hears the door open before she can even pull her shorts on. Malroth made actually zero attempt to redress, either it's another human culture misunderstanding, or he just really cares that little. Lulu is there, her eyes wide and lacking life at this sight. She looks like she's seen a ghost. The builder makes an embarrassed noise as she uses something on the floor to cover her body. Of course it had to be the worst possible thing, Malroth's discarded pants.

"What?" Malroth asks with an annoyed tone, seemingly no care in the world at Lulu seeing him completely nude, save the necklace. He's so casual about it that he leans on the doorframe while the builder scrambles to get dressed behind him.

"...um... I..." Lulu mumbles, keeping her eyes squarely above the hips as she attempts to speak. "...you know... Nevermind... You two go... Have your fun... Just please don't be as loud next time..." She says, near no emotion in her voice. She glances back at the builder again, seeing her in her normal outfit now, but it was obviously very hastily put on. And normally she's really diligent about looking perfect.

Malroth watches with a bored face as Lulu turns heel and quickly rushes to her door down the hallway. She doesn't even look back, just slams her door behind her. Malroth is pretty sure he hears her muffled screams into a pillow.


	2. Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malroth can't sleep. While attempting to muster the strength to finally close his eyes, the builder storms in. She's acting strange, and Malroth is feeling even more lost.

Malroth... Has a problem. Not a problem that can be beat by hitting stuff with a club or hammer. Which means it's a really bad problem.

He finds himself awake late at night, unable to get more than a few hours of sleep. All that's on his mind is the builder. She was kind enough to make him a personal room, and yet he feels so wrong being there. It was wonderful at first, and he still loves it aesthetically, but he just can't sleep. All he sees is her. All he hears is her quiet voice saying his name. All he feels is an intense need to go see her. She's busy though. She works all day, and even all night sometimes. She rarely has free time. She would probably make free time if Malroth asked, but for some reason he just can't. He's done it in the past. But after that night... He can't act normal around her. He has no idea if she even noticed he's acting strange, because she's as happy and ambitious as always.

And when he does sleep, he dreams of her. It never makes much sense, as dreams rarely do, but he always sees her there, somewhere along the way. When he sees her, the entire dream will focus on her. Finding her when she's missing, fighting by her side, even helping her build... It always turns into a story following her. It's frustrating. He knows she doesn't dream of him. Or, she can't, right? All she cares about is building. She probably dreams of work, and is happy about it. Malroth doubts he is ever in her dreams. He's never going to ask her anyways. What kind of weirdo asks someone if they dream of you?

Malroth sighs, turning onto his side and staring at the door leading to the hallway of the building the builder made for everyone. Next to the door is a nameplate that simply says 'Malroth'. He scoffs, turning away to face the opposite wall. Why is everything so weird now? That night was... Amazing, to say the least... And yet his heart feels so heavy. He wonders if she feels the same, even just a little.

Malroth jumps a bit when a knock sounds at his door, and it's opened without a response. It's... The builder. She's the only person on the island who bursts into rooms like that. Well, other than Malroth himself. He turns quickly to face her, watching her close the door behind herself as she invited herself inside. She doesn't wave like usual though. Did Malroth do something to upset her as well? Could this get any worse?

He sits up, looking at her with confusion. She's acting weird. She doesn't wait before crawling into Malroth's bed, without warning. "Hey-!!" Malroth shouts in protest. "What are you doing?!"

The builder sighs, her breath warm against the skin of Malroth's chest. She seems to be attempting to say something, but it's just slurred whispering. Malroth is about to bark at her again, only to cut himself short when he realizes what she smells like. Booze. She smells like the backroom of a bar. Is she seriously drunk? He has only ever seen the miners like that. This is weird. If the builder drinks, it's one and done. What happened?

"Hey-" Malroth is cut short as more impossible to understand mumbling comes from the builder's mouth. She laughs a bit at whatever it is she just said. Then she leans further into Malroth, making his body go as still as stone.

The builder mumbles more as she attempts to sit up, and she looks at Malroth a bit too long before mumbling again, finally saying something understandable. "'S hot..." She laughs, wasting no time trying to pull off her dress. Malroth begins to freak out in response to this.

"Hey!!! What is wrong with you?!" Malroth shouts, holding her arms still when the dress is halfway off. She laughs, muffled by the fabric on her face. Malroth groans in annoyance and pulls her clothes back on.

He gets an unexpected reaction to this. A sincerely sad expression along with more mumblings that sound a lot like complaining. Sheesh, she sure talks a lot when she's drunk compared to usual, and yet none of it makes any sense. She whines like a child being denied something, which Malroth cannot deal with. He grits his teeth in annoyance as he helps her take off her dress. Sitting there in her underwear and shorts, she seems much more content. She looks like she could fall asleep at any moment.

"Malrof..." She hums, clinging too close to him. Malroth feels his face burn like crazy. She has even less common sense than usual! He can't enjoy this, as much as he wants to. She's way too out of it.

"Builder." Malroth says, waiting for her to be quiet and listen. It takes her too long to do so, but it happens eventually. "...I'm taking you to your room." Malroth sighs as he speaks. It feels strange to lower his voice when he's so flustered, but with her current state, he feels obligated.

The builder frowns, and begins flailing about and mumbling "no" over and over until Malroth grabs her shoulders to hold her still.

"You need to get sleep." He says, quickly reaching the end of his patience. He's not loud, but he can't hide his irritation in his voice. "We can talk in the morning."

The builder smiles, and Malroth is glad that she finally seems to understand that he's just trying to help her. Or, so he thinks. That relief is quickly gone when she plops down in his bed, looking at him expectantly. Malroth attempts to complain more, but she drags him down next to her with way more strength than he could have expected considering her current state.

There's a brief silence as the two make eye contact. Malroth is going over tactics in his head (which he is NOT good at), while the builder is in a different world. He can't get far in his planning due to a little interruption.

A kiss. It's really clumsy and weird due to the alcohol. But Malroth still feels himself go completely still. He's... Really confused. Why is she drunk? Why did she come here? And why did she kiss him? He can't understand at all. This is beyond some cultural misunderstanding. He can't wrap his head around what's going on in that head of hers at all.

The builder is oblivious to his confusion. She clumsily pushes her tongue into his mouth, smiling a bit when he gasps in response. There's no way she's gonna let him go right now!

But there's reasoning for this all. She hasn't been able to get that night out of her head ever since it happened. It began to interfere with her work. She would be halfway through a build, only to completely forget what the end goal was. She felt lost, because who is she without building?

She brought these feelings to Digby, who just happened to be around when she was having the most trouble. He laughed and patted her back a bit too hard before saying, "Y'need a jigger, builder. C'mon!" The rest was pretty self explanatory. She met him at the bar, was pressured into having more than one, and lost count real quick. While the others were attempting darts, all she could think about was where she needed to be. With Malroth. In her drunken thoughts, she didn't even realize how late it was. And so she snuck away when the others were distracted to find him. And here they are.

Malroth catches himself after being enchanted for more than a few seconds, pushing her away. "What the hell?!" He says, looking away in an attempt to hide how red his face has become. This is crazy! How is he supposed to deal with this?!

But he can't ignore her when she clumsily holds his hand in hers. He glances at her, only to notice her dozing off, seemingly very comfortable stealing half of his bed for the night. Malroth groans and begins to sit up, only to stop when he realizes he won't be able to hold her hand if he takes her back to her room. He feels disgust for himself as he lies back down with a sigh. He knows he should get her in her own bed. But... She looks so peaceful. And she looks like she needed the sleep. He can't muster the strength to wake her and move her elsewhere... Maybe she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep if he woke her now. He knows he wouldn't.

Malroth finds himself staring at her red face and listening to her lightly snore. It's... Actually pretty adorable. He then wants to punch himself for thinking that. But he simply looks at her with worry. She's usually much more responsible. Why would she do this? Is something wrong? Is... Is it his fault...?

Malroth shakes his head, trying to get that thought out. The builder stirs a bit, to which Malroth decides he's going to stay perfectly still. No, he's not looking at her because he likes her. He's looking because he's worried. It's absolutely not because she's cute. It's just him worrying, like a normal, totally not weird friend...

He holds back groans, as he can't convince himself that he's being anything but weird. But... At least she's warm... Maybe he's just been too cold at night. He will ask her to put something warm in his room, when she's acting normal. For now, he realizes just how tired he is. And he quickly falls asleep, his hand still grasping hers. All his troubles fall away when she's near. He would take hours to get any sleep, and now he can't stop himself from closing his eyes.

...And then morning comes.

The builder feels heavy and sluggish. It takes her a good 30 seconds to even convince her eyelids to start opening. Her vision is blurry as she wakes up, and it takes her a minute to realize that... She isn't alone.

Malroth. In her bed. Did they... Have sex again...? She begins to panic a bit, only to calm down when she realizes that he still has his clothes on. And then she realizes that this isn't even her bed. It's Malroth's. His room is unmistakable, because she used a lot of weird stuff to match his strange aesthetics. Okay... Why is she here? Did he take her here? No, that's weird even for Malroth. So how did she...

She begins to sit up, only to be overcome with a horrible pain in her head. Oh. Oh yeah. She was drinking last night. She barely even remembers most of it. How did she end up here? She vaguely remembers bragging about him to everyone at the bar, but she doesn't remember coming to see him, or him showing up. Malroth stirs a bit in his sleep while she goes over her limited memory. She glances at him, hoping she will remember somehow.

But her eyes wander the room after some time. Oh. Her dress is on the floor. But they definitely didn't have sex. She would have remembered that... Right? No, no, of course she would. There's no way she could forget that... ...Right...?

While the builder wracks her brain, Malroth yawns and sits up. He jumps out of his skin a bit when he notices that her being in his room wasn't a dream. She doesn't even seem to notice his existence. Is she... Okay?

Malroth slowly reaches to touch her shoulder, to which the builder is the one to start. She looks back at Malroth with a worried face. Oh, God... He really should have made her sleep in her own room... She's going to hate him now, he can just feel it.

But the builder's thoughts are a bit different. She figures that Malroth is going to hate HER for coming to his room when so out of it. She didn't do anything stupid, right? ...Augh, of course she did... There's no way she didn't when she was that hammered...

Malroth stands up slowly as to not scare her with sudden movements. He sighs as he picks her crumpled dress off of the floor. "Hey, Builder..." He feigns a grin, hoping she won't see through him. "You should put this on... And maybe go to your own room."

The builder grabs her dress slowly, standing up and beginning to put it back on. She is getting ready to leave before turning and asking in her soft voice, "What happened?"

Malroth widens his eyes, not really expecting that question. He stutters a bit as he tries to explain it coherently without making himself sound creepy, but it's hard to not sound creepy with that sort of thing. He's honest, though. She stumbled in, drunk out of her mind. She forced herself onto his bed, threw off most of her clothes, and fell asleep.

The builder feel her face turn red as this story is described. She feels awful. So so awful. She seriously did that? He probably couldn't sleep all night! She frantically attempts to find a way to explain she's sorry, but that train of thought is interrupted.

"Hey. Sorry, for, well... Last night?" He's not good at apologies, but he continues anyway. "I should've taken you to your room, or... Something? But you looked so... Happy, I guess...?" He turns red as he attempts to explain this. He sounds like an idiot.

The builder chuckles a little, and would be laughing if her head wasn't aching. Malroth looks a bit uncomfortable. That doesn't look right at all. And the builder tries to explain that by getting a step closer and smiling.

Malroth feels some of his worries fade with that sincere expression. He's aware he's acting weird. And not like himself. But how is he supposed to act when something strange happens? Not the normal type of strange, either. This is new territory for both of them, and it's painfully obvious.

The builder sighs with some relief, but she's still concerned. And there's no way she can build until this headache is gone. She could just go to her room but... She doesn't want to. She explains this by taking her shoes back off and sitting down on Malroth's bed like before.

Malroth actually feels more relieved now that she's staying a bit longer. He was worried she would avoid him, like he's done to her in the past. He laughs a bit and runs a hand through his hair in an attempt to keep things light-hearted. It works fairly well. The builder is reminded of his stupid hair tuffs that resemble horns, and that gets a laugh out of her. She reaches up and begins messing up his hair. Malroth complains with a smile on his face.

"Wh- hey!! You're not any better!" Malroth laughs, reaching up to touch the builder's big bundles of hair. "How do you get it like this, even? Some sort of internal wiring?" She laughs in response, messing with his hair more.

The two get in a bit of a friendly scuffle at this point, wrestling and laughing the entire time. Eventually they get a bit too out of breath, and flop back down into comfy positions. There's more laughter in response, to which they feel this strange tenseness. Their bodies take control for just a moment, causing their lips to meet in a gentle kiss. Both pull away slowly, faces hot and yet smiles still plenty.

"Hey Builder...?" Malroth says with a questioning tone. She turns towards him with full attention, her eyes urging him to go ahead. "Is this... What 'love' is...?"

That question catches her off guard, and she actually laughs a bit before looking him deeply in the eyes and nodding. Malroth is unsure of how to feel. Part of him is happy. But another part is regretful. Is this really okay? Is he going to end up chasing after her like the miners with Babs? Is she going to forget about him? And what does this mean for their friendship?

The builder carefully puts one of her hands on his face, looking at him closely with a sincere smile. She leans close and touches her forehead against his, laughing a bit. She's just happy. Truth be told, she didn't really understand love as much as Malroth may have been led to believe. But now she gets it. And he does too. It feels right. This feels natural. This is where she's meant to be, she's sure of it.

Malroth gives her a grin as he runs a hand to the small of her back. But he's cut short by her gently pushing him away. Her head still hurts way too bad to even consider it. Malroth doesn't seem to take it personally though, thankfully. They simply lie together for a while. Malroth goes off on random trains of thought now and then, but otherwise it's peaceful.

Eventually the builder is beginning to feel a bit more normal. Still super foggy, but not as bad now that she's woken up completely and got something to keep her mind busy. She should still probably take a day off of building, though. She's not in the mood to deal with the frustration of building a room only to realize she has to make it bigger, or something else just as tedious. Maybe a day inside won't be that bad. She still wants to walk around though. Sitting here for so long, while nice for part of her, is also driving her crazy since she's so used to always moving. Malroth seems to be going through something similar, evidenced by his leg bouncing impatiently.

She turns to him and hums to get his attention before sitting up and starting to put her shoes back on. Malroth is a bit flustered, but he's happy to get moving as well. They both get ready fairly fast, certainly because they want to move around so bad. They've always been like this when getting up after a night of adventuring or such, but now it feels more intimate. The excitement to go do things is still there, but warmth accompanies it.

Even after some weird things happening, their relationship is pretty much the same. Sure, some changed, but at the bottom line they are still best friends. Which is extremely relieving for them to realize. The change they are experiencing is definitely bumpy, but it isn't going to ruin anything they already have. If none of this ends up sticking around for some reason, they are confident that they would still be just as good friends. That's the assumption, anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much shorter chapter because it doesn't have smut, and that's all I can write. Oops!


	3. Accusations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lulu is having clear trouble coping with what she saw the aftermath of the other night. More than anything, she feels betrayed. While lost in these thoughts, the worst possible thing happens; she has to talk to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This chapter is where vague rape accusations are discussed. I didn't really plan on making this so heavy out of nowhere, I was going through a lot when I wrote this chapter. If you are upset by the content, please feel free to skip this chapter. I love you, stay safe.

"You two are acting weird." Lillian sighs. "You're always weird though, so I guess it's okay." She grumbles before turning back to the food she's making. The two simply sit at a nearby table and wait with a shocking amount of patience. She takes forever to finish cooking most of the time, but everyone on the island can confirm that it's worth the wait. Saffron would be so proud of her. Or maybe jealous, considering her little sister is such a pro already. Her childish behavior is really refreshing anyways. She isn't exactly the nicest kid, but she provided the needed sass for the community. Lulu is already plenty though... But it makes everything seem a lot more alive, that's for sure.

Lillian finally sets down the food in front of them both, looking expectant as she hopes they enjoy. She's sassy, but still a sweet kid when it comes down to it. She likes making others happy with what she makes. Malroth and the builder eat like their lives depend on it, which Lillian is glad about, but also kind of grossed out. They eat more messy than the cows and sheep in their paddock. Impressive to say the least.

Both finish much too fast, grinning with glee afterwards. "Did you even taste it, going that fast?" Lillian says. The two simply start laughing, enjoying themselves way too much. Their relationship has always been kind of weird to everyone else, but things seem a bit more off recently. They were barely around each other for the past few days, and now they seem closer than ever. Most assume they had an argument which Malroth was being much too stubborn about, as he does. But some of the islanders suspect a bit different.

Especially Lulu.

Her two best friends who she always felt she was a trio with... Had sex. It's been days but it's freaking her out. Their relationship seems about the same at surface level, but Lulu knows too well what is going on behind the screen. She is actually overthinking it way too much and assuming they are like animals now, but she does still know more than everyone else on the island. Which she hates. She's nosy and likes to keep an eye on everyone, it's just her nature. Some think badly of her for it, and others don't seem to really mind. She definitely has an aura that spans the whole island though. Even when she isn't nearby, people expect her to show up. Not in a scary type of way, but just because she seems so interested in seeing... Everything. She even watches the farmers, even though she gets flustered and claims she doesn't care about dirty work like that. She's almost like the older sister to everyone, even the people much older than her.

So knowing what she does, it is one of the first times she's experienced wishing she didn't know something. She was going to find out no matter what, but she imagined a world where she didn't. She is fully aware that Malroth and the builder are closer to each other than they are to her, and she's been fairly okay with it. Maybe a bit bitter now and then, but generally accepting of the facts. And now this happens. At least she had somewhat of a place before. Now it feels like she won't belong at all. She fears that her wonderful trio will fall apart, leaving her all on her own.

Plus, she's still grossed out about seeing that all. She wants them to be happy, of course, but why did it have to be in that type of way? Lulu cringes at the thought of all the dirty stuff they've done together, completely unaware that it's only happened that one time. But she is sure much more is happening. It's gross! It's not her being upset about things changing, no way... She just thinks it's gross...

"Lulu!" A loud, familiar voice shouts much too loud, forcing her out of her thoughts. She turns to see Malroth and the builder. She really can't help but frown seeing them together. They are almost always together, and yet now she can't stand it. Even when they aren't really 'together', they still pretty much are considering Malroth usually 'just happens' to be patrolling the area the builder is working. Everyone knows it, except the builder of course. So knowing they are pretty much always with each other, she feels guilty being upset seeing it now. She has her reasoning, but they are acting so... Normal. They aren't all touchy feely. It's the same. And somehow that makes her feel worse.

"Are you alright?" Malroth asks, again forcing her from her thoughts. "You look upset. Someone yell at you or something?" Malroth grabs the hilt of his weapon as he asks this, which he normally does when he thinks his friends are being bullied. It should make her laugh, or maybe scold him for being so eager to use violence, but Lulu can't muster it. She simply sighs and shrugs.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asks, promptly changing the subject. Malroth seems completely oblivious to her diversion, but the builder's expression shows that she isn't fooled quite as easily.

Malroth blabs about going on a mini adventure, yada yada, until something he says sticks with Lulu. "The builder got drunk last night, so we're gonna-"

"What?" Lulu interrupts. "What do you mean she 'got drunk'? She doesn't DO that." Lulu can't help but begin to lash out. She knows she's overreacting, but she can't stop herself from raising her voice. She attached herself onto the smallest bit of uncertainty and begins using it as her outlet.

Malroth seems shocked at that reaction, but he is quick to start getting mad in return. He's really bad at talking when emotions are running high. He tends to... Make it worse. Really really fast. "What's with that tone?!" He huffs angrily.

The builder watches with concern as they begin arguing, and this argument isn't playful like they usually do. Lulu is sincerely upset about something, yet Malroth can't seem to realize that. And so he takes the raised voice as a personal attack.

"You did something to her, didn't you?!" Lulu yells, becoming more a more standoffish.

"Me?! She's the one that came into MY room!" Malroth hisses.

Lulu makes a disgusted face at that. "Seriously?! Seriously, Malroth?!?! Then you took advantage of that, right?! You have zero compassion! What's wrong with you?!"

Malroth is taken aback by this. "...What's wrong with ME? What's wrong with you?! Of course I didn't do anything! Who do you think I am?!"

Lulu scoffs in response. "You're Malroth, Lord of destruction or whatever. You SERIOUSLY expect me to believe you didn't touch her after what I saw the other night?!" She stomps her foot. "You...! You probably forced yourself on her! You're not even human!"

There's a long period of silence after that comment. Malroth looks furious, but he's completely quiet. Lulu doesn't back down to that glare like most would though. They are both way too stubborn, and the builder doesn't know what to do. The argument is about HER! So it's her responsibility!

The builder can't take the tension. She steps between the two. A sympathetic glance is given to Malroth, causing him to loosen up just a little. The builder then turns to Lulu, giving her a worried smile. Lulu lessens the intensity, but she's still very obviously standoffish.

The builder thinks and begins gesturing, as she does when she talks, but Lulu cuts her soft voice short. "I don't... Want to hear it. Don't tell me about the gross things you two are doing. How did this even happen? How long has this been going on? You... You're disgusting." Lulu feels almost instant regret saying this, but she's much too stubborn to admit she made a mistake just now.

Lulu feels her head spin a bit when the builder's usual happy expression turns incredibly down. She's never seen that expression first-hand. Lulu can't handle the concept of facing what she has said the past few minutes, so she pushes Malroth aside as she walks out the door. The builder is stuck in place, her posture incredibly meek compared to her usual confidence.

Malroth couldn't be more angry. Not only did she insult him, she insulted the builder. She didn't DO anything to deserve that! Malroth KNOWS his appearance and temperament will make people accuse him of dumb stuff, but the builder shouldn't get any of it. At all. Hell, he doesn't even blame Lulu for thinking something bad happened in retrospect. He'd probably assume the same if he was someone else. He can get over that, even if some of the stuff she said was too far. But doing it to the builder? That's WAY too far.

He walks to face the builder, only to feel his heart sink when he sees something he hasn't seen since after Moonbrooke. She's... Crying. Her usual smile is gone, and Malroth feels sick with anger seeing just how badly Lulu hurt her. He's going to find her, and MAKE her understand. Even if it requires him dragging her along, he will make her apologize.

Malroth picks the builder up, making her let out a surprised noise. She wants to kick and struggle, but feeling his strong arms around her... It's too comforting right now. She is still thinking about what Lulu said. She's heard that before, and it broke her heart just as much. 'You're disgusting'. Again it feels like something completely out of her control, but she's even more lost on the reasoning now than she was last time. She buries her face into Malroth's shoulder, hoping the feeling of him walking will make her calm down, even a little.

It doesn't take long for Malroth to reach the builder's room. He glances at her, sighing before opening the door and stepping inside. It's been a few days since he has been here, but it feels like forever. He shakes his thoughts before setting the builder down on her soft bed. She isn't crying anymore, thankfully. But she doesn't look happy. Far from it.

Malroth sighs, scratching the back of his head awkwardly before sitting down next to her. He's attempting to act casual, but he's really bad at that. And yet the builder doesn't seem to notice. Her eyes are fixed on the floor. She looks so tired. Not the type of tired she was this morning from her small hangover. Tired emotionally. Is this how she reacted when he said the same thing to her back then? He feels sick over himself imagining it.

"Hey, Builder..." Malroth says, doing his best to be gentle, even though he has almost zero practice doing so. She looks up at him with eyes that seem so lost. He can't stop himself from frowning, knowing he did the same thing to her in the past. But he won't let her be alone now, like she was then. He does his best to be comforting by giving her a very gentle hug, but it feels more like he's failing at hover handing. That does make the builder laugh just a bit, even when she's feeling this bad. He's too awkward, she can't help but laugh at it.

Malroth lets out a sigh of relief hearing her laugh, even if there's still sadness in her quiet voice. His awful attempt at a gentle hug turns into a really tight one. Malroth doesn't seem to understand how strong he is sometimes, and yet the builder doesn't complain about being squished so tight. It actually makes her laugh more. Malroth feels his face burning when she puts her arms around him as well. Even when she's feeling awful, she can still laugh and be so caring. He doesn't get it. He isn't good at empathy. He tries, but is really fucking bad at it. Beyond bad. What he's doing now is the best he thinks he's capable of. He isn't even really empathetic right now, to be honest. He just wants to make her forget about it for a moment. He wants to help, even if he's usually rubbish at it.

The hug lasts a long time, and Malroth feels like pulling away a few times, only to stop when he realizes she's still got a tight grip on him. It takes a minute or two for her to finally let go. Malroth is thankful, because while he doesn't HATE being touched, it lasting that long makes him uncomfortable. He's trying so hard to be the strong one for her, and yet he's worrying about something as dumb as that. He shakes those thoughts off and puts his focus towards her.

Her smile is back, just barely. Her eyes are still watery, but she does look better. Malroth feels victorious helping at all, because he knows he has a horrible habit of making things worse just as much as everyone else knows it. It just takes him a bit to understand that. He's shown his absolutely atrocious behavior over and over again, yet somehow this wonderful person still cares for him. He doesn't understand it fully, but he is too thankful to question it.

The builder sighs, a bit lighter after crying some. She wipes her eyes and starts to think of ideas on how to fix this. She loves Lulu, and she wants them to be friends still. It will take a lot more than that to change the builder's mind on making friendships work. Malroth observes her face, letting her take her time to try to come up with something. As much as he wants to storm into Lulu's room and drag her here, he knows that would just make things worse for everyone. His impulsive instincts are slowly but surely being controlled little by little. To anyone else, there is probably no noticeable change though.

The builder has that flash of light in her head, and quickly grabs her book off of her back. Eureka! A gift to make Lulu happy again! ...Hopefully. Malroth watches as she quickly scribbles down doodles of some sort of stupid doll. But he can see what she's thinking. The sketch looks just like Lulu. She plans on making her a friendship gift by hand, completely unique. While that is pretty predictable for the builder, it's still a wonderful sentiment.

Malroth points at the drawing, catching the builder's attention. "Her bangs are longer than that, actually." The builder looks up at Malroth with beaming eyes so bright he feels dazed. She knew he couldn't really hate her! It's not common for Malroth to notice little details like that unless he really cares about something. The builder changes the sketch using his input, showing him again as she waits for more feedback. Malroth feels a bit weird being included on one of her little recipes, but he does his best. He makes a note of something, and the builder promptly changes even the smallest of details. It's pretty nice to be included on the whole blueprint process, actually. He's... Helping. That's different for him. And he's doing it willingly, even if embarrassed about it.

The outlines for her next project have been finished after the combination of their love for Lulu. She definitely cut deep for a moment there, but the builder forgives her. She was obviously upset beforehand about something else. It will take years of insults to stop the builder from trying to fix the problem over and over again. Her drive to make things right is a bit scary in motion because there's just so much enthusiasm. She was eager to make up with Malroth before, even acknowledging the hurtful things he said. She can do that again. Lulu is one of her best friends. She won't give up that easily, as if giving up is even an option in her book.

Malroth sits with his legs crossed and his head in his hands. He's bored, and wants to just get on with it, but there's no way the builder would let him go on alone. She's so stubborn. But he's thankful in the end. His explosive impulses cause problems often. The builder can minimize that, and even fix damage he inflicted beforehand. Malroth hasn't really paid close attention to the way the builder is so deliberate in how she creates. He's the type of person to barely even glance at a recipe before attempting it himself. While the builder is methodical. She seems to be making stuff up on the spot to most people, but Malroth knows better. She's an idiot in a lot of ways, but he can't deny that she's a builder to beat all builder's.

Since it's a one of a kind gift, the builder is especially careful with this creation. She has an incredible talent when it comes to creating things she can properly replicate given the material, but this is different. She knows she could try again and again, never getting the same result. The first try is all that matters here. It's similar to the club she made Malroth way back at the beginning of her journey, kind of. She would have put in a lot more work on that gift if she knew just how much he would mean to her later. This current project is, in a way, the builder fixing that in her mind. She's a perfectionist, and can't stand the idea of carelessly creating things like she did back then. It was fueled by fear more than anything, but no one seemed to notice she was scared too. It's fine. It's the past. Now is now, and Lulu is going to love it. She has to.

\-----

Lulu feels sick going over what the hell she did back there. She said some really awful things, beyond awful. She argues with Malroth often, but her insults are nowhere near as deep as what she pulled today. She's fully aware he couldn't control what happened with Hargon. She knows that, and yet she accused him of doing it by his own will. And then she had the nerve to bring up the fact that he isn't... Exactly human. It feels weird to think about, and calling him a monster just feels wrong. Malroth is fully aware he's different, but everyone can tell it still bothers him a bit. Lulu can't imagine what he must be feeling after that. She's such an awful friend.

...and the builder. Lulu shouldn't have directed that at her. They were acting perfectly normal before she decided to start getting worked up over assumptions. Neither of them did anything wrong and yet... She wants to hate them. She wants to get angry and throw a fit. Is this what Malroth feels, being left out? But what kind of person would Lulu be if she couldn't accept this all happening? A bad person, that's who. Lulu rarely gets in situations where she looks deeply at her own personality, because normally she loves herself just fine. But she can't love herself after that, not right now.

Lulu glances at the mirror nearby that the builder put in her room at request. "Oh, Lulu... You're so cute." She sighs, clenching her fist. "But you did a lot of wrong. Your cute face can't just make that all go away... As much as you want it to..." She finds herself looking into her reflection's eyes, hoping an answer will pop up. But it doesn't. She knows it won't.

Then Lulu begins trying to fix things from another perspective. She can fix this, the builder would if she was in her place. Well, the builder wouldn't have done any of what Lulu did back there, but the point stands. She has to work with it. She can't just mope all day waiting for someone else to fix it. And she's sure that's exactly what the builder is thinking about doing now. That girl just can't have her spirit broken, even when treated poorly. Lulu assumes that's why she can get along with Malroth all the time, despite the things he's prone to blurt out. The builder doesn't take personal offense, even in cases that she absolutely should. Lulu can do that too!!! Maybe not as expertly, but she can try!

So then the thoughts turn to creation. "Think like a builder, Lulu!" She groans at the frustration that she can't immediately come up with something like her friend can. Thinking on it, Lulu isn't even really sure what the builder would like. She could find something for Malroth without much trouble, but... What does the builder even like, besides building?

Lulu ponders that for a long while. A default gift will not cut it here. It has to be special. It has to be something the builder loves. But... The builder only loves building. ...Huh. Just building...

"Yes! I got it!" Lulu says, throwing her arms up with glee. "A blueprint! How did it take me so long to think of?! But what will it be of...?" Her excitement halts for a minute.

"Well..." Lulutopia is definitely missing something big, something the builder would already have made if she thought of it by now. She doesn't have to think of something the builder would enjoy alone, because the builder can't enjoy things unless someone else is involved. Lulu hums happily and sits at her table, scribbling down into the pages of a blank book the builder left for decoration. This will be great!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise this will get back on track to smut and fluff real soon. Probably sooner than it should.


	4. Respite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The builder has finished her gift fairly quick, and decides to use her extra time to mess with Malroth. Things turn a bit steamy, to neither's complaint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter may feel like a very bad excuse to write more smut. You would be correct to think that. But to be fair, I wanted something to distract from the conflict for a little bit. We will get back on track real soon. But here's some shameless smut first.

The builder has a big smile on her face as she observes her work. She's made plushies and dolls in the past, but only of cute monsters. This is her first attempt at something a bit different, and it's perfect! She made absolutely sure of it! Malroth complained a lot about being forced to sit and watch her restitch the same thing over and over until it was just right, but it was worth it!

The builder turns to show Malroth the finished work, only to notice he's been asleep for a while now. The builder laughs, standing up and taking this chance to mess with him a little. She's got a mission she's on, sure, but that won't stop her from messing with Malroth. She's sure he would do the same thing if the roles were flipped here. Just some... Playful, dumb fun. He probably needs it anyways. He was upset for a while back there. The builder isn't going to neglect him.

...time passes.

Malroth feels himself waking up, pleased from the little bit of rest he sneaked in. Hah, the builder probably didn't even... Notice... Oh. She isn't sitting where she was before. Malroth looks around a bit too frantically, earning him a hard tug on a clump of his wild hair. "Ow?!"

The builder laughs, letting go. She didn't expect him to wake up that explosively, but she probably should have. Malroth stands up and turns to her, flustered. "Why did you do that?!"

The response is more laughter, which doesn't make Malroth feel much better. She's plotting something. The builder gestures towards her head, making a motion that Malroth doesn't exactly understand. "What?" He says, doing the same with his arms in an attempt to understand. Wait. Something feels wrong. Malroth feels around his head more feverishly, attempting to find exactly what she did. Augh, there's stuff in his hair. He pulls some of it out and pulls it forward to see, and is... Unhappy to see the little blue bow he is holding.

The builder can't hold back laughter. She didn't really think she would get far with her endeavor, assuming he would wake up after one or two, but she managed to ribbon up almost every inch of his stupid ponytail. She even managed to tie a few around his dumb hair-horns. For a guy who always seems so ready for action, he sleeps like a rock.

Malroth begins running his hands through his hair, obviously really irritated. Her dumb, cute laugh is helping either. Wait. Cute? Did he just think it was cute? His hands move even faster at that embarrassing realization. The builder laughs and holds his wrists to stop him, absolutely certain he's going to pull out some of his hair if he does it that fast.

The builder lowers his arms slowly and begins removing her little masterpiece piece by piece, causing Malroth to cross his arms and frown. She doesn't have to do it like that... Being in front of him... She doesn't even notice how close she is to him. Or... How close her chest is to him...

Stop! Stop it! Malroth bites his tongue as a message to himself, simply being "stop it". Quick and to the point. It should be easy to follow, and yet... His dumb head looks at her and thinks about that night, seeing her without any cloth blocking his view. Her normal outfit is actually extremely conservative, so he feels even worse recalling that all. He can barely even see the curve of them at this angle... And yet... All his head is doing is showing him images of what she looked like that night... Malroth feels like he's about to burst. He could seriously beat himself up right now. It would be awkward to punch himself, but he can do it. He SHOULD do it.

He raises his arm to do just that but stops when he notices her humming a sweet little song and running her hands through his hair gently while she removes her mess. He lowers his arm and sits with a grumpy look on his face. Staring down at his gloves in order to respect her. He might be a brute, but he isn't some kind of animal. He has his own rules, even if it's a lot less than the average person. He isn't gonna grope her or something... As fun as that sounds in theory... No, Malroth! Stop it! If she wants you to touch her, she will show you that!

He curses, feeling like this is going to take all day. He barely even touched all of his hair and there were hundreds of neat little bows. He's going to need to learn to behave himself if she plans on removing it all. But she seems so happy about it. Knowing how she was earlier, he doesn't have the heart to remind her of that. So he sits quietly, no matter how much his body is telling him to move around. He wouldn't mind much if there was stuff to look at, but... All that is in front of him is her. Her body. Nearly completely covered and yet his thoughts... He seriously hates himself over this. He can't look at her so close without remembering.

Then he starts imagining. He runs over thoughts of pinning her down and biting at her neck. Thoughts of tightly grabbing her and slipping a hand under her dress. Thoughts of her sweet noises as he ravages her... But he's good! He is! He isn't acting on any of it so... It's fine...

Malroth's filthy thoughts are put on hold when the builder leans forward more in an attempt to start working out the bows near the ends of his hair. His face is burning. He can't stand this. She smells so nice and she's so soft and sweet and cute and... A touch. He can't think straight. She's... Doing this on purpose. She's even laughing! She's smothering him into her chest like some sort of seductress!

Malroth growls, finally indulging his thoughts a bit, knowing she was doing it on purpose all along. He runs his fingers up her legs, under her dress. He knows he should stop and make things back on topic to the big issue, but he can't help himself when she's egging him on like that. She lets out a pleased hum when his fingers reach her shorts and gently pets him as a reward. He would be angry about being treated like a dog, if he wasn't so focused on something else...

The builder laughs as she pulls up her dress herself, giving Malroth access to taking off even more, if he so chooses. He growls, frustrated at how he just can't hold back when she does that sort of thing. Her shorts are pulled down slowly, Malroth getting more excited in response to every inch of skin he sees. She's wearing panties this time. A part of him is disappointed, but another glad. It might be another piece of fabric in the way, but at least it hugs her hips just right. She looks good. Beyond good, even.

Malroth moves his hands to her inner thighs, pleased to hear her let out sweet little noises when his fingers get close to the best part. But he's going to enjoy teasing her, considering this seemed to be what she was after. He's gonna make her regret being so sly.

She whines a bit in protest when he continues to rub her thighs, but never actually getting less than an inch closer to her panties. She knows she deserves it for being a brat, but she couldn't help it. He was being so cute and obedient, staying quiet and sitting pretty while she cleaned him up. She's been thinking about him too. Knowing their thoughts are both in the same place is nice.

Malroth finally gives her what she wants and runs two fingers across her damp panties slowly. He can't help but laugh a bit, knowing she was this excited. Yeah, he was hard just thinking about her before, but she doesn't know that! ...Probably. The builder isn't shy to sink into his touch, even moving her hips a bit for more friction. She should feel ashamed for how excited she is out of the blue, but she can't be. It's too good to indulge in. She has touched herself in the past, yeah, but it feels so much better when it's someone else. Especially when it's someone that you... Love. She feels happy realizing that. She loves him. Even when the timing is a bit poor, she can't stop herself from loving him. She needs him to know that.

Malroth feels his face burning at the sensation of her bucking into his hand. She's crazy. He actually thinks she's crazy. Doing something like this when they shouldn't... There's no way she's in the right mind. But luckily for her, he isn't either. He can make this fast, anyways. He wants to keep teasing her forever, but there isn't time for that.

A deep exhale escapes her mouth when Malroth hooks his thumbs under her panties and pulls down. It's too sexy when he takes what he wants. And what he wants is her. She bites her lip from the amount of excitement going through her body when he ducks under her dress that is barely even taken off and begins kissing along her stomach. She's almost scared that butterflies are gonna burst out if he continues that. He makes her feel like she's on fire...

Malroth continues to trace kisses along her stomach as he unbuckles his belt. The builder trembles at this, telling him loud and clear just how badly she wants it. There isn't any hesitation at this point. Malroth pulls down his pants quickly, then pull her down onto his lap, rubbing his dick against her haphazardly. "Mm..." The builder whimpers, 'accidentally' bucking up against him, causing his cock to prod at her entrance. He actually intended on rubbing against her a bit longer, but he won't turn this down. He grabs her hips and digs his nails into her a bit as he pulls her down harshly.

"Aah!" She moans out, pleased with how he fits inside. Doing this for the second time actually feels better, and neither are sure how. The builder's dress is practically ripped over her head from how fast Malroth pulls it off. She wants to complain, but that thought is cut short when he begins licking at her nipples. "Haaah..." She trembles at the sensation.

Malroth is too excited to let her forget about what's inside her. His nails dig further, surely leaving pink marks, as he raises her and slams her down onto his cock. She can't help but wrap her arms around his shoulders tightly. If she didn't have that, she would surely be scratching at him from pure ecstasy. His grunts are more clear, and he isn't slowing down no matter how tight she hugs him. Knowing she wants this just as much as him... He really thinks he's going crazy. Maybe he is an animal... It's hard to say when all he can think about is 'more'.

He feels her pulling at his hair, but that just tells him to do more. The thrusts are sloppy and harsh, making it so all they can think about is the noise their bodies are making from smacking together. It's embarrassing, but that definitely doesn't stop them.

Malroth grumbles a bit when he's pushed onto his back, but he doesn't get time to complain. He feels his eyes roll back when she begins riding him, slamming all of her weight down onto him. He thought he was being harsh, but this is even more. He would be wondering how it doesn't hurt her if it didn't feel so good.

It definitely doesn't hurt, turns out. It feels so good. She feels so dirty, leaning forward onto her crouched legs and fucking herself using him. It's tiring, but she isn't keen on stopping until her body makes her stop. Her thighs are definitely getting a workout though.

"Builder...!" Malroth moans out, a bit ashamed at his moans. He can't hold it back though. Feeling her body move like that... It's crazy how good she feels... But Malroth is greedy sometimes. And there's nothing telling him to ignore that greed right now. He grabs her love handles and forces himself even deeper with each of her movements. She can't help but yelp and let her tongue loll out. There's no way she doesn't look stupid, but it feels too good to care.

She can feel it building, fast. She can't handle much more! She's gonna burst if he keeps it up at that pace! Her knees give out and she sinks down onto him, but he is far from done. The builder lightly scratches his abs as he begins working her all on his own. Knowing it's too much for her to keep going just makes him more excited. He wants to drive her crazy. He wants to turn her into a mewling, obedient little thing. Even just for a few minutes. He's going to fuck her as much as he wants.

The builder squeaks in surprise when Malroth sits up and forcefully pushes her to be on her back. He doesn't waste time adjusting, and just continues to pound into her. She moans out loudly, she feels like she might die from the pleasure. It's official, she loves it rough. There's no way around that. His thick cock just fits inside of her too perfectly to deny...

She moans out when Malroth gently nips her ear, and starts whispering naughty things between each deep thrust. "God, builder... You're so... Aagh, dirty...! You like this... Even more than I do..." He laughs when she tilts her head back and turns her head to give him easier access. "Look at you...! So filthy... What would everyone else say, seeing their cute little builder get fucked to tears...?" She can't do it, she can't stop herself. His words combined with the full force of him makes her snap.

Malroth lets out several satisfied groans when he can feel her tightening around him. She arches her back and yelps loudly as she reaches her climax, incredibly embarrassed at how wet and messy she gets. She didn't even know she could squirt, let alone do it while being fucked. But Malroth certainly seems pleased. He lets her catch her breath, staying inside of her the entire time with a big grin on his face. The builder would push his dumb face away if she wasn't so tired.

...but Malroth isn't done. He feels shivers through his whole body when he hears the sound she makes, realizing there's more. He isn't going to let her off the hook that easily. He bites his lip at how fast he can go with the little mess she left for him. It feels like he barely even has to try in order to slam deep into her. And she looks so naughty while he does this. She knows she just came, but it still feels so good, maybe even better, now. Seeing Malroth's smug face, she quickly covers her own and moans into her arm.

Hah, she really thinks she can hide her cute faces from him. To her embarrassment, he pulls her arms away and pins her down in order to see everything. It just feels so good, she knows she has to look awful. Her eyes are watery and her cheeks a very bright red. It doesn't help seeing Malroth stare deeply at her the entire time. He can't get enough of it, and being watched so closely is just too embarrassing.

Malroth can't hide his noises, but he tries by saying more dirty things to her. "you... Aah- you're such a little slut... Mmn- you can't get enough of me..." He groans out, closing his eyes tight as he doesn't think he can go much longer. Luckily for him, it seems super easy to please her when she's already cum once. One day he will have to see how many times he can make her cum until she faints, but for now, this is good.

"You're- aaahh...! So fucking good, Builder...!" He cries out, gritting his teeth and feeling his thrusts get more a more sporadic the further he goes. "Fuck...! Builder-! I...!" He's unable to finish that thought, pulling out of her last second and rubbing his cock a bit to finish it. His hot cum lands on her lower stomach, and he would look at his work if he wasn't so exhausted.

Malroth flops down next to the builder, thankful that she is able to move her legs out of the way so he can lie down without worrying about crushing her. He breathes heavily, feeling beyond tired after that. His body is still buzzing.

The builder catches her breath first, perhaps just a benefit of having such a high stamina. She turns to Malroth, looking at him closely and watching as sweat runs down the side of his face. He definitely looks like he could fall asleep in just a few seconds. She doesn't blame him, considering how much work his muscles got after all of that. But she, personally, isn't exactly a fan of sleeping on the bare floor. She shakily raises herself up, glancing over at what could easily be mistaken as an unconscious Malroth. She laughs, watching just a bit longer before standing up, albeit very clumsy in doing so.

She wipes herself off with a hand towel she keeps nearby, careful to get his mess off of her. Speaking of mess, she got distracted before she could finish removing all those bows. Hmm, it sounds too fun to let him leave later without even realizing what's there. It wouldn't take long to fix him right up, but she decides to make way to her private shower room instead. He won't even notice, probably...

A few minutes go by before Malroth feels his body jolt awake, and he sits up too fast, causing his head to spin for a few seconds. The builder isn't next to him, but he can clearly hear where she is. She's in her shower. He's a mess too, and decides that he should fix that.

The builder expected Malroth to join her, but she didn't think it would be that quick. He was out for only five minutes or so, tops. Considering how many hours he sleeps normally, that seems incredibly short. He says nothing as he pulls off the rest of his clothes, walking behind her and wrapping his arms around her tight.

The two stay silent for a bit. The builder continues to wash her hair, while Malroth simply clings close. Both are a bit surprised at how... Nonsexual it is. They are naked and pressed up against each other, and yet all they can think is innocent thoughts. All they can think of is... Love. Malroth lets out a sigh, taking a moment to let go of her in order to untie his hair. He is quick to notice a few slightly damp bows tied in some strands. But he just laughs. The builder thought he would get all fussy again. She would be disappointed if she didn't love his laugh so much.

"Builder..." He sighs, turning her towards him carefully. She is smiling when he turns her, and he smiles back. Malroth shields her eyes as he directs the water onto her head. She closes her eyes and hums with content as he rinses the suds away. She finally unties the rest of those bows while she gets the chance, leaning over for just a second to set them down where they won't get wet. Malroth hugs her tight when she returns, not caring that water is now running down his body.

The builder relaxes into his touch, hugging him back. It's so warm... She feels so safe. And he smells nice... "Mm..." She sighs with content.

"You... Mean a lot to me." Malroth explains, still hugging her to prevent her from seeing his face as he says this. "I mean it. I'm sorry I ever said that stuff to you... And I'm sorry you had to hear it again... I'm the one who-"

"I love you."

Malroth is silent, listening to the sound of the water falling. He eventually pulls away, moving his wet hair out of his face. "I... Love you too..." He can't help but look away as he says this. It's just too embarrassing for him. He's thankful that his face was already red from the warm water.

The builder smiles, but it seems a bit sad. Malroth is a bit lost at what to do seeing that, and decides to make a move on his own, not depending on instinct for once. He presses his lips against hers. It's a bit awkward when water is dripping down their faces, but he doesn't move away. He feels relief when she leans onto him, kissing back.

Neither are sure just how long that kiss was, but it wasn't long enough. They could stay like that forever... They both lean in again, looking for more, only for them both to jolt out of the stream of water when it goes cold. They glance at each other, and start laughing. Malroth sneaks by the stream of water and turns it off, turning back to the builder with a smile. She can practically hear her heartbeat. She sees him smile all the time, but that look is special. He has a glitter in his eyes and he looks truly happy... She wants to see him like that always.

The builder smiles back, handing Malroth a towel she grabbed while he was taking care of the running water. He accepts, but sort of just stares at it in his hands for a bit. "...This makes me think of back then. When you gave me that club. I never would have imagined us ending up like this... Never. But I'm glad I'm here." He looks at her before wrapping the towel around his waist, sighing with relief. He is a bit nervous seeing the builder think on what he said for so long.

She steps forward, leaning up and kissing his cheek gently. She laughs and winks as she pulls away, then turns to put on her towel and leave the room, door left open. Malroth feels his face burn, and he raises a hand to his cheek. He's unsure how he's so lucky. But he isn't going to question it. The thought of losing it from prying too deep keeps him from dwelling. He decides to walk forward, closing the bathroom door behind him.

The builder is nearly already fully dressed by the time Malroth steps back in. She is currently sat in front of her dressing table, tying up one of her pigtails. Malroth smirks and walks behind her, watching as she works her magic. "I still have no idea how you get those things so big, even when I'm watching you style it."

The builder turns, only half of her hair tied up. She frowns, but has a playful look in her eyes. She stands up, nudging him to sit in front of the mirror himself. He laughs, feeling a bit weird seeing his hair down in his reflection. His hair tufts are already starting to stick back up though, so it's not that off. He watches the builder's reflection as she carefully grabs his loose hair, tying it up as it normally is. Malroth is actually a bit surprised at how well she did it. He doesn't look weird at all. He knows for a fact that if he tried the same thing with her, it would be way off.

The builder catches him off guard when she wraps her arms around his shoulders from behind, closing her eyes as she leans against him. Malroth feels like he should speak, but he has no idea what to say. So they sit there in silence for a few seconds.

She eventually removes herself from him, but she has a smile on her face. She rushes to pick up Malroth's discarded clothing, handing it to him promptly. Malroth grins and stands up, getting dressed while she finishes tying up her hair. They turn to each other when finished, smiles explaining how ready they are.

As the builder picks up her gift, Malroth notices a familiar little bow tied into the hair. He feels a dopey smile stick on his face seeing that. The builder is just so charming to him. Not in a way that feels too much for him, either. She's still the same, he just started to notice how much the little details of how she walks through life are so charming. She isn't perfect, she's a bit dull and surprisingly clumsy for someone whose job can depend on stability, but he loves her. He does. And knowing she loves him too... He couldn't be more pleased.

The builder glanced back at Malroth with a bit of uncertainty in her eyes when she feels nervous moving to leave the room. Malroth gives her a few pats on the head in response. She is worried about Lulu, but it will turn out fine. It always does, even if she has to go through a lot to make things work. Malroth himself is proof of that. The builder wants Lulu to see her worth in their friendship. She wants her to feel loved and welcome. While the change in dynamics here may scare someone else, the builder is confident things will turn out just fine. She wouldn't let it be any other way.


	5. Pests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The builder has finished her gift, and she heads off to share it immediately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I joined the discord for this community so I realized "HUH I SHOULD PROBABLY UPDATE THAT FIC HUH".
> 
> For those who didn't hear, I have a full time job now (also with overtime, which I didn't expect beforehand honestly), and so I don't really have time to write or be online more than a few hours each night.
> 
> This chapter is really short and boring. Sorry. I DO have a bit more in the works, so I don't plan on abandoning this at all. Just be patient with me, please!~

Lulu feels so powerful looking at her progress. She knows the builder can make blueprints in seconds of stuff much more elaborate, but she's still proud of it. She isn't exactly the best at drawing either, but it's the thought that counts. Despite all of her pride, it still isn't exactly done. Things feel off and she scribbles something down just to erase it, over and over again until she is satisfied.

A knock at her door causes her to jolt up and draw a stray, messy line. Augh. That doesn't make her happy. But she should see who it is. She doesn't get visitors often, since she is the one that usually does the visiting.

Lulu opens her door only to be caught off guard seeing the builder with her hands behind her back and a big smile. Malroth is standing behind her, avoiding eye contact with Lulu for now. He is still a bit miffed at the stuff she said. He doesn't get over things as quickly as the builder can.

"Um, hey..." Lulu says, attempting to laugh only to regret how obviously forced it was. "What's up?" She was honestly really caught off guard to see these two standing there. They both have near no manners when it comes to respecting personal space. She doesn't think she's ever seen them wait at a door before. It's a collective awful habit for them to just go where they please with no care in the world.

The builder has a serious look in her eyes before chirping up with her soft voice, "I made you something!" Lulu and even Malroth seem a bit startled by her talking so freely. Malroth absolutely expected her to just hand it over silently, like she does with everything else. It is very clear how serious she is about this, making herself speak more than needed.

Lulu scrambles a bit, stepping out into the hallway and closing her door halfway behind her. She barely even has anything for a blueprint, and the builder already MADE something for her?! Oh Goddess, she regrets even thinking she could make something meaningful in time. In truth, if the builder didn't have some time alone with Malroth back there, she would have been done much sooner. But it's probably better if Lulu stays unaware of that. She's already ashamed of how long it's taking her.

"Oh...! What is it?" Lulu strains a smile, but a glare from Malroth tells her that her acting is very bad. Not even he fell for it, and he falls for nearly everything. She is completely out of her element here...

The builder looks a bit sheepish as she moves her hands in front of her, displaying the doll she made for Lulu. Lulu is speechless. She recognizes herself instantly. It looks professional, for Goddesses sake. Actually, it IS! She's a builder!! Lulu feels even more shame thinking about her unfinished creation. Her smile is strained because of these thoughts, causing the builder to be a bit nervous.

Lulu catches herself, responding as fast as she can. "Thank you! It's so cute! I love it..." She says, starting to feel more and more guilty. She drops her act pretty quickly. She really does love it, but she has a few things to get off of her mind before she accepts such a nice gift. "Um... I need to apologise..." She murmurs, blushing a bit. She has trouble fessing up to mistakes she's made.

The builder listens intently, Malroth also glancing her way with peaked interest. "I said some awful things to you..." She pauses, looking at Malroth. "Both of you. You didn't deserve that. I was just... Scared, I guess."

Malroth frowns, finally speaking up. "Scared? What for?" He figured someone just pissed her off real bad, so hearing that baffles him a bit.

Lulu has a distant look in her eyes for a second before glancing down at the floor, avoiding eye contact. "Scared of... You two leaving me behind." She frowns deeply as she admits this.

Malroth makes a confused noise and the builder simply gives her a hug, the doll still in one of her hands. Lulu can't help but sniffle. She doesn't want to cry, but she can't stop herself. The builder breathes deeply as she speaks up, "We could never leave you. We love you."

Lulu sobs, quickly moving forward in order to force Malroth into the hug as well. He makes an annoyed sound, but he doesn't actually try to get out of it. Lulu hugs them both tight. "I really thought... I really thought that you guys would stop caring about me... I got scared after seeing you two like that and... I'm an awful friend, huh?"

The builder shakes her head, pulling away enough to look Lulu in the eyes. "You're our best friend." Hearing the builder say this just makes Lulu cry more. She feels like she doesn't deserve them, even if they are a real handful sometimes. Even Malroth's glare is gone at this point. He's unable to hide a little cheeky smile.

"You still said some messed up stuff though." Malroth teases.

"I did! I really did!" Lulu says, laughing while tears run down her face. "And yet... You guys don't hate me. I don't understand. If I were either of you, I'd never speak to me again."

"Well, unfortunately for you, we're more comparable to 'pests' than 'friends'." Malroth laughs, leaning on the builder with a big grin on his face. "But... You should thank the builder. I would have been angry with you for weeks if she wasn't so upbeat." He sighs. "That doesn't mean I'm not still a little mad though."

Lulu takes a deep breath and wipes her face, replacing her sadness with determination. "Well I can be upbeat too! Maybe you can forgive me if that's the case?" She smirks.

Malroth scoffs and looks away, a bit flustered when the builder holds his hand. "He loves you too, Lulu." Malroth turns a bright red, snapping back towards her.

"No I don't! I just-! Grr..." He grumbles. "I LIKE her at most. But that's all she's getting."

Lulu laughs, "Good enough for me! If you work on that attitude, I might like you too!"

Malroth glares at her, but he can't hide a grin. The builder is so happy to see them acting as usual. It may seem bad to outside eyes, but the builder knows that's just how they show affection for each other. They can both deny it all they want, but they're best friends, they all are!

The builder clasps Lulu's hands and sets the doll there. Her smile is bright, almost too bright. But Lulu likes that about her. She's a lot more optimistic than most people around here. There's a reason everyone likes her. She really does have a special place on the island. And a special place in Lulu's heart. Her best friend. No, her best friends. Malroth is there too, even if she doesn't want to admit it. They argue in good fun. It's rare they actually get upset at one another. But both are too stubborn to admit how close they really are.

Lulu looks at the little doll closely. It's so cute. Really accurate too! She wonders if the builder used her picture as reference or something. "I really do love this, Builder!" She grins, holding the doll next to her face. "Now there's two of me!"

"Oh no. Why must you torture me like this, Builder?" Malroth says, pretending to act hurt. He can't hide his laughter for long though. Lulu gives him a gentle punch on the arm in response, laughing as well.

"Oh! Builder! I actually have something for you too. Um... It's not really done... Or that impressive... But I don't think it would mean as much if I gave you it later."

The builder looks extremely intrigued, watching as Lulu ducks into her room real quick and brings out an open book. She blushes a bit before turning it so everyone can see. It's a statue for the island, or it's supposed to be. The text is a bit crooked, but it's charming. The builder beams in response. Despite the incomplete state, the builder seems overjoyed at this gift. Lulu feels embarrassed seeing her so happy. Is it really that nice...?

Malroth watches silently, feeling a bit disconnected. He didn't bring a gift or anything, so he's kind of lost. Lulu makes eye contact then, smiling at him happily. He feels a bit flustered in response, turning his head away.

Eventually the gift exchange comes to an ending where all parties are happy. But of course, Malroth has to say something before goodbyes can be made. "I didn't hurt her, by the way." Malroth grabs the builder's hand tightly, catching her off guard. But she seems happy to hold it when she realizes it's all just to show affection.

Lulu lets out a soft laugh, crossing her arms. "I know you didn't. I'm sorry for saying that kind of thing. I know you are treating her right. Like, look at that doofy grin. No way you could get anyone to fake a face that stupid."

The builder puffs up her cheeks and crosses her arms, letting go of Malroth's hand as she does so. She isn't very good at pretending to be offended though. She looks like she could burst out laughing at any moment. Malroth and Lulu certainly don't hold back their own laughter.

"...Thanks, both of you." Lulu says, with a fragile smile on her face. "It's not my business what you two do alone when it comes down to it... Just make sure you're safe, alright?" Lulu raises her eyes to Malroth. "You're using a condom, right?" Her expectant eyes have the fury of a raging fire behind them.

Malroth jolts, laughing awkwardly and scratching the back of his head. "Uh... Y-yeah! Of course!" Lulu doesn't look convinced. He scrambles a bit more. "W-what?! What's with that look?! Builder, tell her it's fine!"

Attention turns to the builder, to which she makes a cheeky face and shrugs. Lulu glares daggers at Malroth. He feels like he could die just from that look.

"Well...! Time to go, Builder! You're behind on your work, right?! Let's go!" Malroth nudges her a bit too forcefully, causing her to stumble. He laughs as if she did that as a joke and literally picks her up and holds her under his arm as he makes his escape.

"Hey!! I'm not done talking to you!" Lulu shouts, sighing when she watches him slink back into the builder's room as if it's his own. The builder seems more than content being carried. Lulu sighs, unable to keep herself from smirking a bit. She will chew him out about it soon enough. But for now, she needs some alone time. In the spa. Maybe with a drink on the side. She's exhausted from all those emotional flips.

**Author's Note:**

> Please note I didn't really expect to write more of this fic past chapter one, so it has awkward pacing.
> 
> pls complain at kiroumartyr.tumblr.com :)


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